Recentlya persistent cough? Try this AI assistant
Since the start of winterpeople around me have been coughing one after anotherand I unfortunately caught it tooCoughing during the day and coughing at nightmy chest hurts and I feel annoyedI went to the hospitalsaw a doctorand got medicationbut I wanted to see if my cough had any patterns—when I coughed moreand in what environments it was easier to coughThat's when I thought of the yorukusu project developed by a guy named Guttyo on GitHubIt includes a skill specifically for cough and breathing called cough-respiratoryI had played around with some skills tools beforeso I tried installing itand to my surpriseit was actually quite useful.
Simply putthis skill is a little tool for recording coughs and breathingIt doesn't just let you record how many times you coughed each day; it can also distinguish between a dry cough and a wet cough with phlegmand even records your breathing rate and depthAlthough it can't replace a doctor's diagnosisit's very practical as a small helper for self-health management.
How to install? It's actually very simple
To install this skillyou need to use the npx commandFirstmake sure you have Node.js and npm on your computer (usually installing Node.js comes with npm)Then type the following line in your terminal:
npx skills add [repository URL] --skill cough-respiratoryWait a few secondsand it will automatically download and install from GitHubAfter installationyou can run it on a platform that supports Skills (such as )If you don't want to use it onlineyou can also directly download the whole repository as a ZIP package (just download that link)then unzip it into your skills directory and load it manually.
The first time I installed itI got stuck for a long time due to network issuesLaterI found out that my company's intranet blocked GitHubAfter switching to Wi-Fi at homeit installed instantlyIf you encounter a similar situationyou can try changing your network environment or simply download the ZIP for offline installation.
First-hand experience: Recording coughs is more interesting than expected
Open the skilland you'll see a very clean interfaceIt usually asks you a few questions: How many times did you cough today? Is it a dry cough or a wet cough? Any other symptoms (like sore throatchest tightness)? How does your breathing feel each time? You just answerand it records everythingAfter a few daysit generates a simple chart or summarytelling you your peak coughing periodstriggersand so on.
I used it for three days and found that I coughed the most at night and right after waking upwhile during work hours I coughed lessI asked the doctorand he said it might be due to post-nasal drip and recommended taking an antihistamine before bedIt worked! Seewith data recordscommunicating with the doctor becomes more efficient.
Besides recordingit also has a breathing training featureIt integrates several breathing methods:
- Abdominal breathing: Inhale through your nosefeeling your belly risethen slowly exhale through your mouthletting your belly fallIt helps relax the diaphragm.
- 4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for 4 secondshold for 7 secondsexhale for 8 secondsIt is said to calm you down quickly.
- Slow breathing: Breathe only 5-6 times per minuteprolonging the exhalationSuitable for relieving anxiety.
Each training session has a timer and prompt sounds—just follow alongI do one abdominal breathing session before bedand my coughing has indeed decreased a bit.
Some tips and considerations
When using this skillthere are a few things I'd like to remind you:
- Consistent recording is key. One or two days of data won't show much; you need to record for at least a week to find patternsI set a phone alarm to remind myself to fill in the data every night before bed.
- Distinguishing cough types is important. If you have frequent dry coughsit might be allergies or airway reactions; if you have a wet cough with a lot of phlegmit could be an infectionWhen the skill asks you to choose the typejudge carefullyotherwise the analysis will be inaccurate.
- Don't overdo breathing training. At firstdon't aim for deep breaths for too longor you might get dizzyFollow the skill's rhythm and progress step by step.
- This skill is not a medical diagnostic tool. If you've been coughing for more than two weeks accompanied by fever or difficulty breathingyou must see a doctor as soon as possibleThis skill is only an aid for recording and improvingnot a substitute for professional treatment.
Practical application scenarios
Scenario 1: Chronic cough patients. For examplecough caused by allergic rhinitisDaily recording can help you find the relationship between allergens and your environmentA friend of mine is allergic to dust mitesAfter recordinghe found that his coughing worsened every time he cleaned the room or changed the bedsheetsHe bought anti-mite covers and improved a lot.
Scenario 2: Fitness enthusiasts. Breathing methods greatly affect sports performanceMany runners use this skill to practice abdominal breathing and rhythmic breathingmaking running more efficientA friend who runs marathons said that after practicing abdominal breathing for a whilehis pace improved.
Scenario 3: Post-COVID recovery. Many people still have coughing and shortness of breath after turning negativeUsing this skill to track the recovery process and doing breathing training can help lung capacity gradually returnA colleague of mine felt chest tightness after recovering from COVIDand after half a month of abdominal breathing traininghe felt much better.
Final rambling thoughts
To be honestI initially thought this skill was just a toybut after using it for a few daysit actually helped meEspecially the breathing training—doing a session before bedI feel my sleep quality has improvedOf courseresults vary from person to personbut I suggest anyone troubled by coughing give it a tryAfter allinstallation only requires one command and doesn't cost a centIf you find using npx troublesomeyou can also download the ZIP package and deploy it manually.
Ohand this skill is open sourcecreated by Guttyoand the project is hosted on GitHubIf you find it usefulyou can go give him a star to show supportAlrightI'm off to do my breathing trainingBye~
